The Maofeng we know is one of the most famous Chinese green teas in the world, which is traditionally produced in Anhui near Mount Huangshan. In this case, however, we bring you a Maofeng produced according to the standards applied in its place of origin but from a region 2300 km from Anhui: Yunnan. With its camellia cultivars, this region in inland China is capable of giving us a Maofeng with very different characteristics from the original. In fact, in this Silver Maofeng we find a high presence of buds and full-bodied leaves that are somewhat reminiscent in shape of some raw, unpressed puer.
During the tasting of the liqueur, several vegetal flavors of herbs will emerge, sometimes a bit pungent but with an astringent character that is always very controlled. In the aftertaste a particularly savory tone will gradually become apparent, such as to recall some fresh legumes. On the palate the vegetal taste and the savory taste given by these leaves will come one after the other, thus giving a long tasting experience with a fair persistence.
Tasting - Sight and Smell
The leaves of this Silver Maofeng green tea come whole, long and very thin, rolled finely. The color is a military green turning to gray, with numerous silver buds covered in lustrous bai hao. Once infused, the moist leaves give off delicate and sweet plant aromas, such as lettuce, carrots and corn, as well as notes of beeswax and sweet almonds. A floral hint also emerges infusion after infusion if we brew this oriental tea using gaiwan. In the cup, the color of the liquor is very light straw yellow, transparent and bright.
Tasting Notes
GONG FU CHA
The first infusion of Silver Maofeng green tea is very delicate and slightly floral: hints of young bamboo and steamed carrots develop, followed by a savory sweetness that anticipates its strong character. With the second infusion in gaiwan, the vegetal hints become more pungent and take on the taste of boiled herbs and spinach, with a definite umami reminiscent of the savory nature of zucchini broth and a sweet aftertaste. The third and subsequent infusions bring out increasingly pungent vegetal and herbaceous notes, hinting at the flavor of artichoke and some grilled vegetables such as eggplant and zucchini. A slight astringency and some bitterness are also evident, although the finish leaves a sweet sensation on the palate, similar to that of baked squash and pan-fried carrots, with good persistence.
TO THE WEST
Silver Maofeng Green Tea is characterized in the opening by sweet and delicate hints belonging to the vegetable sphere, such as corn, carrots and cannellini beans. Slightly more intense notes of zucchini and bamboo then appear, with a present but mild savoriness that perfectly balances the sweeter notes. Some herbaceous and fresh notes, like freshly cut grass, are perceived on the finish, while the persistence reveals sweet and slightly floral hints, with even a hint of acacia honey. The body is light and soft on the palate, with a very light astringency that is never intrusive.
Location of origin
Yunnan, China
Production
Green tea Silver Maofeng has a very classic processing process that involves, after an initial withering in the open air, cooking the leaves in large woks heated to temperatures around 180°C to block enzymatic activity and prevent oxidation of the same. After these steps, the leaves receive their characteristic flattened shape and are allowed to rest so that they still lose a little of the residual moisture inside.
Preparation
We strongly recommend infusing Silver Maofeng green tea in the traditional Chinese method (Gong Fu Cha) with a gaiwan with a capacity of about 150 ml. Following this preparation, multiple infusions can be made with 5 grams of leaves that are useful to best capture all the flavor nuances of the tea.
Warm the water to a temperature of 80°C and proceed to an initial infusion of 25 seconds. Keeping the water at the same temperature, you can then continue to make use of the same leaves by adding more water and increasing the infusion time by 5 seconds each time (25 - 30 - 35...).
This tea has a longevity of about 5-6 infusions.
For a more classic preparation according to the Western style, we recommend 3 grams of leaves in a 200 ml cup with water at 80°C for an infusion time of 2-3 minutes.
For a better tasting experience, we suggest that you strain the tea as soon as the infusion time is over. The infusion timings we suggest can be slightly modified to your liking to achieve a more or less intense taste.
We recommend storing the Silver Maofeng in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
